This invention relates to electrical generators, and in particular, to a system control for monitoring and controlling one or more generator sets which are connectable to a load.
As is known, electrical generators are used in a wide variety of applications. Electrical generators utilize a driving engine directly coupled to a generator or alternator through a common shaft. Upon actuation of the engine, the crankshaft thereof rotates the common shaft so as to drive the alternator which, in turn, generates electrical power. During a commercial power outage, it is often necessary for a consumer to continue supplying electrical power to a load. However, a single generator may not generate enough electrical power to meet the demands of the load. Consequently, multiple electrical generators are often needed to provide sufficient electrical power for the load connected thereto, independent of the commercial electrical power provided by a utility. Alternatively, it is often desirable for a consumer to generate its own electrical power which may be less expensive than the electrical power commercially available or to generate electrical power in excess of its own needs and to sell such power to the utility. In order to interconnect the output of each of the customer""s generators to the utility grid, the output of each of the customer""s generators must be placed in parallel with the commercial electrical power provided by the utility.
Typically, each generator set connected to a load or to a utility grid is controlled and monitored independently of the other generator sets connected to the load or the utility grid. As such, coordinating operation of each of the generator sets connected to a load or a utility grid may be burdensome and somewhat time consuming. Hence, it is highly desirable to provide a central system control for controlling and monitoring one or more generator sets provided at remote locations which have the capability of supplying electrical power to a load independent from the utility grid or supplying electrical power in parallel with the commercial electrical power provided by the utility.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a system control for controlling and monitoring a plurality of generator sets connectable to a load.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a system control controlling and monitoring a plurality of generator sets in parallel with the commercial electrical power provided by a utility.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a system control for controlling and monitoring a plurality of generator sets which allows a user to monitor the commercial electrical power supplied by a utility and simultaneously vary the electrical power supplied by the plurality of generator sets as the demand for electrical power by a load change.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a system control for controlling and monitoring a plurality of generator sets which is simple to utilize and inexpensive to manufacture.
In accordance with the present invention, the system controller is provided for controlling one or more generator sets connected to a load. Each generator set has the ability to be started and stopped and includes a communication link for connecting the generator set to a network, an engine, and a generator driven by the engine which generates AC power having a magnitude and a power factor and an AC voltage having a magnitude and a frequency. The controller includes a user interface for allowing the user to select a generator set and to set values for various predetermined operating parameters of the selected generator set. The communications link is connectable to the network for transmitting the user set values of the predetermined operating parameters to the selected generator set.
The controller may include a monitoring structure connectable to a utility source which provides AC power having a magnitude and a power factor, AC voltage having a magnitude and a frequency, and AC current having a magnitude and a frequency. The monitoring structure measures the magnitude of the frequency of the AC voltage in AC current and provides the same to the user interface for display. The user interface includes a display screen for displaying the magnitude of the AC power, AC voltage and AC current of the utility source and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source. The communications link transmits the magnitude and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source and the magnitudes and frequencies of the AC voltage and AC current of the utility source to each of the generator sets connected to the network.
The user interface may include a display screen for displaying generator icons identifying corresponding generator sets attached to the network. In addition, the user interface may include a generator setting screen for each generator set connected to the network. Each generator setting screen allowing the user to input the values of a portion of the various operating parameters of the selected generator sets. A first of the various operating parameters is a starting time for starting the selected generator set and a second of a various operating parameters is a stopping time for stopping the selected generator set. The user interface includes a generator command screen for each generator set connected to the network. Each generator command screen allows the user to input the starting time for starting the selected generator set and the stopping time for stopping the selected generator set. Each generator command screen also includes a day setting for allowing the user to select at least one day on which the selected generator set will be started and stopped in response to the starting time and stopping time inputted by the user. A special day screen may also be provided for each generator set connected to the network. The special day screen allows the user to input a special day on which the selected generator set will be stopped.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a power generation system is provided for providing electrical power. The power generation system includes at least one generator set connectable to a load and to a network. Each generator set has the ability to be started and stopped and includes a generator connectable to a load. The generator generates AC power having a magnitude and a power factor, an AC voltage having a magnitude and a frequency, and an AC current having a magnitude and a frequency. Each generator also includes an engine, a generator control and a generator communications link. An engine is operatively connected to a generator for driving the generator. A generator control is operatively connected to the engine for controlling operation thereof and is operatively connected to the generator for controlling the AC generated thereby. The generator communications link connects the generator control to a network. A user interface allows a user to select a generator set and set values for various predetermined operating parameters of the selected generator set. A system communication link is connectable to the network for transmitting the user set values of the predetermined operating parameters to the generator control of the selected generator set.
The power generation system includes a monitoring structure connectable to a utility source which provides AC power having a magnitude and a power factor, AC voltage having a magnitude and frequency, and AC current having a magnitude and a frequency. The monitoring structure measures the magnitude and the frequency of the AC voltage and the AC current and provides the same to the user interface. The user interface includes the display screen for displaying the magnitudes of the AC power, AC voltage and AC current of the utility source and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source. The systems communications link transmits the magnitude and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source and the magnitudes and frequencies of the AC voltage and AC current of the utility source to each of the generator controls of the generator sets connected to the network.
The user interface also includes the display screen for displaying generator icons identifying corresponding generator sets attached to the network, and a generator setting screen for each generator set connected to the network. Each generator setting screen allows the user to input the values of the portion of the various operating parameters of the selected generator set. A first of the various operating parameters is a starting time for starting the selected generator sets and a second of the various operating parameters is a stopping time for stopping the selected generator set. The user interface includes a generator command screen for each generator set connected to the network. Each generator command screen allows the user to input the starting time for starting the selected generator set and the stopping time for stopping the selected generator set. Each generator command screen also includes a day setting for allowing the user to select the day on which the selected generator set will be started and stopped in response to the starting time and stopping time inputted by the user. The user interface may also include a special day screen for each generator set connected to the network. The special day screen allows the user to input a special day on which the selected generator set will be stopped.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a method of managing the distribution of electrical power is provided. The method includes the steps of interconnecting at least one generator set to a load and to a network. Each generator set has the ability to be started and stopped. A generator set is selected and various predetermined operating parameters are set for the selected generator set. The settings of the predetermined operating parameters are transmitted over the network to the selected generators.
The method includes the additional steps providing a utility source. The utility source supplying AC power having a magnitude and a power factor, AC voltage has a magnitude and a frequency, and AC current having a magnitude and a frequency. The magnitude and the frequency of the AC voltage and the AC current are measured. Thereafter, the magnitudes of the AC power, AC voltage and AC current of the utility source and the power factor and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source are displayed to a user.
The magnitude and the power factor of the AC power of the utility source and the magnitude and frequencies of the AC voltage and AC current of the utility source are transmitted to each of the generator sets connected to the network. User generator icons identifying corresponding generator sets attached to the network are displayed. It is contemplated to start the selected generator set to the first predetermined time and stop the selected generator set at a second predetermined time. The first and second predetermined times are transmitted to the selected generator set over the network.